U.S. patent application number 12/201224 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-12 for conveyor pan with improved edge shaping.
This patent application is currently assigned to JOY MM DELAWARE, INC.. Invention is credited to Gordon Powell, John Tout.
Application Number | 20090066147 12/201224 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38640582 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090066147 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tout; John ; et al. |
March 12, 2009 |
CONVEYOR PAN WITH IMPROVED EDGE SHAPING
Abstract
A conveyor pan for use with a shearer with a skid-type shoe in a
longwall mining operation, the conveyor pan including a side member
having a surface adapted to be engaged by the shearer skid-type
shoe, the surface being formed by a piece of the side member that
extends horizontally for the length of the side member. The piece
has a first end and a second end, each piece end having a top, a
rear, a front and an edge. The first end edge and the second end
edge are each formed by each edge being between 45 degrees removed
from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to the horizontal
plane formed by the side member surface.
Inventors: |
Tout; John; (Worcester,
GB) ; Powell; Gordon; (Worcestershire, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JAMES EARL LOWE, JR.
15417 W NATIONAL AVE # 300
NEW BERLIN
WI
53151
US
|
Assignee: |
JOY MM DELAWARE, INC.
Wilmington
DE
|
Family ID: |
38640582 |
Appl. No.: |
12/201224 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
299/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 19/285
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
299/43 |
International
Class: |
E21C 35/20 20060101
E21C035/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 11, 2007 |
GB |
0717688.6 |
Claims
1. A conveyor pan assembly for use with a shearer with a skid-type
shoe in a longwall mining operation, said conveyor pan assembly
including: a plurality of adjacent conveyor pans, each conveyor pan
including a side member having a surface adapted to be engaged by
the shearer skid-type shoe, said side member surface being
positioned so that the surfaces of the adjacent line pans form a
race upon which the shearer shoe can travel, said surface being
formed by a piece of said side member that extends horizontally for
the entire length of the side member, each piece having a first end
and a second end, with the first end of one side member piece being
adjacent the second end of another side member piece, each piece
end having a top, a rear, a front and an edge, with the first end
edge being adjacent the second end edge and forming between them a
race junction between two adjacent conveyor pans, said first end
edge and said second end edge forming a "V" shaped opening, with
the "V" shaped opening being open in the piece end front and closed
in the piece end rear, the "V" shape being formed by each edge
being between 20 degrees to 60 degrees removed from a vertical
plane extending at 90 degrees to the horizontal plane formed by the
race.
2. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
top at the first end edge is double chamfered, with a first longer
extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal, and the
top at the second end edge being double chamfered, with a first
longer extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal.
3. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the
top at the first and second end edges first longer extending
chamfer is at a 7.5 degrees angle relative to horizontal.
4. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein the
top at the first and second end edges second shorter extending
chamfer at the piece edge is at a 20 degrees angle relative to
horizontal.
5. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
first end edge and said second end edge being between 45 degrees
removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to the
horizontal plane formed by the race.
6. A conveyor pan for use with a shearer with a skid-type shoe in a
longwall mining operation, said conveyor pan including a side
member having a surface adapted to be engaged by the shearer
skid-type shoe, said surface being formed by a piece of said side
member that extends horizontally for the length of the side member,
said piece having a first end and a second end, each piece end
having a top, a rear, a front and an edge, said first end edge and
said second end edge each being formed by each edge being between
20 degrees to 60 degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at
90 degrees to the horizontal plane formed by the side member
surface.
7. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein the
top at the first end edge is double chamfered, with a first longer
extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal, and the
top at the second end edge being double chamfered, with a first
longer extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal.
8. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 7, wherein the
top at the first and second end edges first longer extending
chamfer is at a 7.5 degrees angle relative to horizontal.
9. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 7, wherein the
top at the first and second end edges second shorter extending
chamfer at the piece edge is at a 20 degrees angle relative to
horizontal.
10. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein
said first end edge and said second end edge being between 45
degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to
the horizontal plane formed by the race.
11. A longwall mining assembly including a shearer with a skid-type
shoe, said skid-type shoe having a shoe length in its direction of
travel, and a conveyor pan assembly including: a plurality of
adjacent conveyor pans, each conveyor pan including a side member
having a surface adapted to be engaged by the shearer skid-type
shoe, said side member surface being positioned so that the
surfaces of the adjacent line pans form a race upon which the
shearer shoe can travel, said surface being formed by a piece of
said side member that extends horizontally for the length of the
side member, each piece having a first end and a second end, with
the first end of one side member piece being adjacent the second
end of another side member piece, each piece end having a top, a
rear, a front and an edge, with the first end edge being adjacent
the second end edge and forming between them a race junction
between two adjacent conveyor pans, said first end edge and said
second end edge forming a "V" shaped opening, with the "V" shaped
opening being open in the piece end front and closed in the piece
end rear, the "V" shape being formed by each edge being between 20
degrees to 60 degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at 90
degrees to the horizontal plane formed by the race, with the top at
the first end edge being double chamfered, with a first longer
extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal, and the
top at the second end edge being double chamfered, with a first
longer extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees relative to
horizontal and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece
edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal, the "V"
opening being greater than a third of the length of the shoe.
12. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein
the top at the first and second end edges first longer extending
chamfer is at a 7.5 degrees angle.
13. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein
the top at the first and second end edges second shorter extending
chamfer at the piece edge is at a 20 degree angle.
14. A conveyor pan assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein
said first end edge and said second end edge being between 45
degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to
the horizontal plane formed by the race.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a conveyor pan assembly for an
armored face conveyor, such as for handling coal in a longwall face
mining system.
[0002] A variety of different apparatuses exist for mining coal and
other materials from underground seams. One apparatus is a
continuous mining machine used in instances where extended portions
or longwalls of seam are mined. Such longwalls may, depending upon
the seam configuration, extend for distances of 300-1200 or more
feet. It is standard practice in this type of mining to mine
parallel entries into the seam to be mined and connect those
entries with one or more primary passages. Such arrangement defines
the longwall faces to be mined. The roof of the primary passages
are usually supported by movable roof supports during the mining of
the exposed "face" of the longwall pillar.
[0003] Conventional longwall mining techniques employ a mining
machine that is known in the industry as a longwall shearer. A
longwall shearer typically has an elongated mobile frame that is
supported on powered roof supports that are adjacent and
substantially parallel to the mine face. Rotary driven toothed
drums are operably supported on arms on each end of the elongated
frame for winning the coal as the frame passes back and forth
before the mine face. The won material falls into a face conveyor
that is usually attached to the floor-mounted tracks and extends
parallel to the longwall face. The face conveyor discharges the
material onto other conveying apparatuses to transport the material
from the seam. As the mine face recedes, the conveyor and track
assembly is advanced forward to enable the shearer to continue
mining.
[0004] Typically, the face conveyor includes a plurality of
conveyor pans, and each conveyor pan includes a hardened steel deck
plate secured to supporting cast steel side members or rails. The
plurality of conveyor pans is assembled in end-to-end relationship
to form a complete conveyor system for moving coal or other mineral
along and away from the mine face under active excavation.
[0005] The pan assembly side members additionally support the
haulage system for the shearer. A scraper chain extends along the
entire conveyor system length with spaced flights serving to move
the coal along the deck plate. The strength of the armored face
mining conveyor and its structural integrity is of a primary
concern. Eliminating structural failures in the conveyor system,
and thus minimizing down time, is important to assure an efficient
longwall mining operation.
[0006] The operating environment of a mine is extremely harsh on
mechanical equipment of all forms. The very nature of the work
objective is to cut and remove abrasive material. Moreover, the
abrasive material is fluidized in the presence of water and
contaminated oil. In the case of material removal conveyors, the
abrasive aggregate is wiped along the conveyor pan surfaces to
exacerbate the grinding destruction. In addition to the abrasive
and corrosive nature of the environment, the machinery is subjected
to extreme ranges of shock, mechanical twisting, racking and
concentrated stresses due to uneven support surfaces.
[0007] The pan assembly side members of known conveyors have right
angle ends with a single chamfer, or are formed to make a mating
scarf joint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide
an improved longwall conveyor pan.
[0009] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
delay and smooth shearer load transfer from conveyor pan to
conveyor pan.
[0010] The invention delays full shearer load some 100-150 mm away
from the vulnerable conveyor pan ends.
[0011] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
increase shearer shoe track end strength by eliminating weak
corners of the conveyor pan shearer track.
[0012] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
lower stress levels at extreme ends of a conveyor pan.
[0013] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
improve conveyor pan fatigue life.
[0014] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
protect the conveyor pan side section ends from overloading.
[0015] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
smooth shearer shoe transition from conveyor pan to conveyor
pan.
[0016] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
reduce conveyor pan fines compaction conveyor pan to conveyor
pan.
[0017] Another of the principal objects of the invention is to
reduce problems caused by misalignment of adjacent conveyor pan
section ends. Any change in perfect alignment is more readily
accommodated by the conveyor pan section ends of this
invention.
[0018] More particularly, this invention provides a conveyor pan
for use with a shearer with a skid-type shoe in a longwall mining
operation, the conveyor pan including a side member having a
surface adapted to be engaged by the shearer skid-type shoe. The
surface is formed by a piece of the side member that extends
horizontally for the length of the side member, the piece having a
first end and a second end. Each piece end has a top, a rear, a
front and an edge. The first end edge and the second end edge each
is formed by each edge being between 20 degrees to 60 degrees
removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to the
horizontal plane formed by the side member surface.
[0019] The invention also provides a longwall mining assembly
including a shearer with a skid-type shoe, the skid-type shoe
having a shoe length in its direction of travel, and a conveyor pan
assembly including a plurality of adjacent conveyor pans as defined
above. The top at the first end edge is double chamfered, with a
first longer extending chamfer of between 5 and 10 degrees angle
and with a second shorter extending chamfer at the piece edge of
between 15 and 30 degrees angle, and the top at the second end edge
is also double chamfered, with a first longer extending chamfer of
between 5 and 10 degrees angle and with a second shorter extending
chamfer at the piece edge of between 15 and 30 degrees angle. The
first end edge and the second end edge form a "V" shaped opening,
with the "V" shaped opening being open in the piece end front and
closed in the piece end rear, the "V" opening being greater than a
third of the length of the shoe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded schematic view of a
conveyor pan in accordance with this invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of a longwall
assembly including a shearer and conveyor assembly in accordance
with this invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a more detailed perspective view of the rear most
side member of the conveyor pan shown in FIG. 2;
[0023] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the left end of the side
member shown in FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 5 is an end view of the side member shown in FIG.
3;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a side view of two adjacent side members of FIG.
3, with a shearer skid-type shoe shown in ghost on the side member
shoe race.
[0026] Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of the construction and the
arrangements of components set forth in the following description
or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various
ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting. Use of "including" and
"comprising" and variations thereof as used herein is meant to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as
well as additional items. Use of "consisting of" and variations
thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed
thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood
that such terms as "forward", "rearward", "left", "right", "upward"
and "downward", etc., are words of convenience in reference to the
drawings and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the invention
includes a longwall mine face conveyor pan assembly 10 especially
adapted for use with an armored face conveyor system for handling
coal or the like. An elongated deck plate 11 serves to define the
coal production feed path P along the longitudinal axis A of the
conveyor system. As is conventional, the feeding of the coal along
the conveyor pan assembly 10 is by a scraper chain with individual
flights 12; one shown in dashed line outline in FIG. 1.
[0028] A pair of parallel side rails or members 13 and 14,
preferably formed as sigma sections and extending along opposite
sides of the deck plate 11, further define the material feed path
P. The sigma section rail profile is a standard of the industry to
provide concave guide walls for the scraper chain flights 12. The
upper walls are in direct contact with the aggregate material
scraped along by the upper chain flights whereas the lower concave
walls guide and align the flight returns but do not transport mine
aggregate. In other embodiments, however, other shapes could be
used.
[0029] The deck plate 11 is connected to the side members 13, 14 in
a conventional manner, such as by welding keys 20 received in
mating slots 21 in the side members 13, 14. In other embodiments,
other means for connecting the deck plate 11 to the side members
13, 14 can be used.
[0030] Each conveyor pan assembly 10 is only one module of a series
that is linked together by "dumb bells" type straps 17, as shown in
FIG. 6. Alignment pins 15 (see FIG. 1) projecting from one end of
each side members 13 and 14 penetrate corresponding sockets (not
shown) on the opposite end of each side member. Strap pockets 16
receive the dumb bells 17 to keep adjacent pan assemblies within a
required longitudinal proximity and maintain penetration proximity
of the alignment pins 15 with corresponding sockets.
[0031] A longwall shearer mining machine 110 is shown in FIG. 2.
More particularly, the shearer 110 has an elongated mobile frame
112 with a skid-type shoe 117 that is movably supported on a race
114 that is substantially parallel with the longwall face. A
laterally extending rotary drum 118 which has a plurality of mining
bits 119 attached thereto is pivotally attached to each end of the
elongated mobile frame 112 by a corresponding boom member 116. The
operation of the shearer 110 is well known in the mining art and,
as such, will not be discussed in detail herein. However, the
skilled artisan will appreciate that the shearer 110 is moved back
and forth on the race 114 such that the mining bits 119 on the
rotating drums 118 can be brought into engagement with the mine
face to dislodge material there from. As the face recedes, the race
114 and shearer 110 are advanced towards the face to enable the
mining process to be continued. The operating personnel are
typically located at one end of the shearer 110.
[0032] More particularly, FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate a longwall
mining assembly 30 including the conveyor pan assembly 10 and the
shearer 110 with the skid-type shoe 117, the skid-type shoe 117
having a shoe length L in its direction of travel (see FIG. 6). The
conveyor pan assembly 10 includes a plurality of adjacent conveyor
pans, with each conveyor pan including a side member 13 having a
surface 32 (see FIG. 3) adapted to be engaged by the shearer
skid-type shoe 117. The side member surface 32 is positioned so
that the surfaces of the adjacent line pans form the planar race or
shoe track 114 upon which the shearer shoe 117 can travel.
[0033] More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 3-6, the surface 32 is
formed by a planar flange or piece 34 of the side member 13 that
extends horizontally for the entire length of the side member 13,
each planar piece 34 having a first end 36 and a second end 38,
with the first end 36 of one side member piece being adjacent the
second end 38 of another side member piece, as shown in FIG. 6.
Further, each piece end has a top, a rear, a front and an edge, and
the first end edge is adjacent the second end edge and forms
between them a race junction between two adjacent conveyor
pans.
[0034] Still more particularly, the first end edge and the second
end edge forms a "V" shaped opening 40, with the "V" shaped opening
being open in the piece end front and closed in the piece end rear,
the "V" shape being formed by each edge being between 20 degrees to
60 degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to
the horizontal plane formed by the race. Even more particularly, in
a preferred embodiment, the "V" shape is formed by each edge being
45 degrees removed from the vertical plane 42 (see FIG. 4)
extending at 90 degrees to the horizontal plane formed by the
surface 32. The front of the "V" opening is greater than a third of
the length L of the shoe 117.
[0035] Further, the top at the first edge is double chamfered (see
FIG. 4), with a first longer extending chamfer 46 of between 5 and
10 degrees relative to horizontal and with a second shorter
extending chamfer 48 at the piece edge of between 15 and 30 degrees
relative to horizontal. The top at the second edge is also double
chamfered, with a first longer extending chamfer of between 5 and
10 degrees relative to horizontal and a second shorter extending
chamfer at the piece edge of between 15 and 30 degrees relative to
horizontal. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first
longer extending chamfer 46 at each piece edge is at a 7.5 degrees
angle relative to horizontal and the second shorter extending
chamfer 48 at each piece edge is at a 20 degrees angle relative to
horizontal.
[0036] The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or
variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The
embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best
illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical
application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to
utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various
modifications as is suited to the particular use contemplated. All
such modifications and variations are within the scope of the
invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in
accordance with breadth to which they are fairly, legally and
equitably entitled.
[0037] Various other features and advantages of the invention will
be apparent from the following claims.
* * * * *